Police charge local man in George and Ed's robbery

ROCHESTER — Police have arrested a 34-year-old local man in connection with the armed robbery of George and Ed's convenience store on North Main Street Monday morning.

By Liz Markhlevskayalmark@fosters.com

ROCHESTER — Police have arrested a 34-year-old local man in connection with the armed robbery of George and Ed's convenience store on North Main Street Monday morning.

Police have charged Benjamin Shannon, of 2 Jackson St. Apt. 3, with the holdup at George and Ed's which occurred around 8 a.m. today. Police say Shannon pointed a silver handgun at the store clerk and demanded money. After taking an undetermined amount of cash from the register, he fled on foot, going north on North Main Street.

As police searched for the suspect, Maple Street School and Saint Elizabeth Seton School went into a soft lockdown for less than two hours.

Superintendent Michael Hopkins said the doors at the Maple Street School were locked, as they typically are, and students were told not to go outside from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

In searching for the suspect, police conducted a K9 track in the area surrounding the convenience store, and interviewed witnesses. Shortly before 5 p.m., they released a statement announcing Shannon's arrest.

Shannon was charged with robbery and obstructing government administration.

He is being held in jail on $25,000 cash bail, and is scheduled for arraignment at 11 a.m. today at Rochester Circuit Court.